Enright wrote:Agreed - I can't recomment Rain-X highly enough. I used it on all my cars but it works especially well on the Elan's steeply raked windscreen, it just streams up and off.
The only slight issue is that as it wears out, you need a bit more draught to achieve the same effect, so you can be encouraged to drive a bit faster.
"Sorry I was speeding ociffer, but I was just blowing the rain off my windscreen as my Rain-X is running out (bet you haven't heard that one before)!"
My opinion :
1. Rain-X doesn't do anything for you when stopped (traffic light, ...).
2. Wipers clean your windscreen, with a bit of help from washer fluid, insects, mud and dust can be cleaned enough to continue your road, Rain-X won't do that for you.
3. Rain-X will (if you choose to keep the wipers as back-up) make the rubber of your wipers degrade very fast, and wipers will produce chatter and fishtail behaviour (like you just drove out of the car wash and put your wipers on).
Noise coming from this behaviour comes with it, probably joined with squeeck noise on drying windscreen.
-> This I can explain in short :
* The product smooths out any unevenness (suface of a windshield under microscope looks like the alps)
* Flattened out, the rain has no more grip on the windscreen and will run off easaly (no more adhesion).
Down side : contact surface between rubber and windscreen multiplies by heaps, increasing friction.
For optimal function, wipers need a very thin waterfilm (µm units, not visible for the human eye) on the windscreen to slice nice and smooth.
As a development engineer for wipers, I can't give more detailed information as it is considered very sensitive and confidential.
Please feel free to use what you think works fine for you and if your wipers need replacement, buy BOSCH
Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you.